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Photo: Kinneret Municipal Association
Children having fun at the Kinneret
Photo: Kinneret Municipal Association

Israelis celebrate Shavuot with a lot of water

Rising temperature and a tradition that ties the holiday for the receiving of the Torah to water sent many Israelis to rivers, streams and beaches.

As temperatures continue to rise, Israelis took advantage of the Shavuot holiday to cool off in rivers and streams, with some 100,000 visitors arriving at Israel's national parks and nature reserves on Sunday.

 

 

A total of 200,000 visitors went out to celebrate the holiday in nature over the past two days.

 

Children having a water fight in the Kinneret (Photo: Kinneret Municipal Association)
Children having a water fight in the Kinneret (Photo: Kinneret Municipal Association)


Shavuot, a holiday celebrating the Israelites receiving the Torah from God at Mount Sinai, is strongly connected to water, presumably because the Torah is often likened to water. In many Israeli cities, children gather for impromptu water-gun and water-balloon wars in the streets, public squares and parks.


Pedal boats on the Jordan river (Photo: Indie Park)
Pedal boats on the Jordan river (Photo: Indie Park)

 

Palmachim beach (Photo: Tom Amit) (Photo: Tom Amit)
Palmachim beach (Photo: Tom Amit)

 

Another way to celebrate is taking a water hike along Israel’s rivers.

 

And so, just as they did on Saturday, many visitors headed out to the Hermon Stream (Banias), Nahal Ayun, Tel Dan, and Majrase nature reserves, among others, as well as the beaches of Palmachim, Beit Yanai and Ashkelon.

 

Some 120,000 spent the long weekend on the shores of the Kinneret and resorts along the banks of the lake were at full capacity.

 

Israel21c, Ahiya Raved, Shahar Hay contributed to this story.

 


פרסום ראשון: 05.24.15, 18:23
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